Safety device for motor-vehicles.



Patented Sept. 23, I902.

A. BIKER. SAFETY DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

(Application filed Mar. 2, 1900.)

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ANDREW' L. BIKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS,TO MORTON TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR MOTOR-VEl-HCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part or Letters Patent 1)! o. 709,681,datedSeptember 23, 1902.

Application filed March 2.1900. Serial No. 7,119. (No model.)

To ctZZ whont it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ANDREW L. RIKER, of the city of New York, State ofNew York, have invented a new and useful Safety Device forMotor-Vehicles, which invention is fully set forth in the followingspecification.

This invention is a safety device for motorvehicles. It has sometimeshappened that the atteudantis accidentally thrown from his seat Whilehis vehicle is in motion, leavingit to continue ungoverned down acrowded thoroughfare. It has also happened that a runaway dashes againstan automobile at rest and the jar starts the motor and propels thevehicle or mischievous persons meddling with the vehicle push thestarting-lever, with the same results. Such accidents are exceedinglyobjectionable and dangerous, and I propose to render them impossible byrendering the vehicle incapable of propulsion at all times and under allcircumstances except when the attendant is in place and wishes hisvehicle to be driven.

My invention consists in employing means for checking or preventingmovement of the vehicle,the means being con trolled by a safety devicenormally held (as by spring action) in the safety position and moved andheld in the running position only by the voluntary act of the attendant.

The means for holding the vehicle stationary (called. hereinaftercontrolling means) may consist of means for cutting off the motivesupply or in any other manner rendering the motor inactive, or means forlocking the vehicle-Wheels or other moving part, as by a brake orotherwise, or means for disconnecting the gearing between the motor andthe vehicle-wheel or other driven part.

The safety device (called hereinafter the switch) may consist of aspring-supported seat or a pedal or a lever or any other means forapplying force or pressure. The switch acts upon the controlling, meansthrough a connecting device that may be either electrical or mechanical.

In the drawings annexed hereto and constituting a part of thisspecification, Figure 1 is a side elevation, largely diagrammatic,showing the embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail through the line no a; of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows amodification of one of the details.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the motor E drives gear I through a clutchc, the motion being transmitted (as by a sprocket'chain) to thevehicle-wheel c. A lever F, pivoted at f to a fixed part of the vehicle,serves to shift clutch e by means oflink F and lever f, the latterpivoted at f. An operating-lever G, extending within reach of theattendant, is pivoted at g and moves lover F through link G. Throwinglever G forward shifts the clutch c into engagement to propel thevehicle. The seat H, pivoted at h, is supported by springs h. An arm His fastened to the seat and serves in its normal position to preventlever G being thrown forward to start the vehicle. A link I, pivoted toarm H at t', passes freely through an eye in lever F, the latter beinglimited in its play by stops t". "When the attendant takes his seat,springs 7b are compressed and arm I'I moved into the position indicatedby dotted lines II. Lever G can then be moved, owing to its play on linkI, to start the vehicle. This Fig. 1 illustrates also the employment ofa brake for locking the vehicle. J is a brake carried on lever J, thatis pivoted at) to a fixed part of the vehicle, and link K connects thislever J with arm II. Normally brake J is held against the vehicle-wheelor other suitable moving part; but when arm H is moved to the rear, asabove, the brake is released.

Fig. 3 shows a pedal as a substitute for arm II. In this constructionthe seat need not be movable, as in Fig. 1; but by depressing lever L(pivoted at Z) through pedal L the brake is released and lever G may bethrown forward to cause engagement of clutch c.

Any automatic brake controlled by the safety-switch may beadvantageously employed with the various forms of my invention, as itwill serve to bring the vehicle to an immediate standstill, even on adowngrade, as soon as the attendant removes the force or pressure fromthe switch. It is obvious that many modifications may be employed in thebrake, as well as in the switch, in the transmitting mechanism, and inthe controlling means, Without in any case departing from the spirit ofmy invention, which consists in employing certain of these elements in aconstruction whereby the vehicle is rendered normallyincapable ofpropulsion and can be propelled only when and as long as the attendantis applying force or pressure to hold the switch in its open or runningposition.

In the form of vehicle shown in Fig. 1, where a clutch is used todisconnect the engine from the transmission mechanism, a spring andlocking mechanism usually constitutes a part of the means for operatingthe clutch. An engine having considerable vibration is also a usualadjunct in this type of vehicle, and in the ordinary means of controlthe lever operated by the occupant to release the clutch when he leavesthe vehicle is notinfrequentlyjarred loose from its latch and the clutchthereby accidentally applied. This is due to the fact that the enginefor convenience is allowed to continue to run while the occupant hasleft the vehicle, and the jarring of the vehicle will sometimesaccomplish the dangerous result just mentioned. A seat-operated switchor controlling device, as herein shown and described, becomes on thisaccount of greatimportance to positively prevent the throwing of theclutch except when the occupant is in the vehicle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a motor-vehicle, amotor, a driven road-wheel, intermediate transmission mechanism andaclutch between said transmission mechanism and the motor, means underthe control of the occupant to apply and disconnect the clutch to propelthe vehicle, and automatic means to release said clutch upon rising ofthe occupant from the seat of the vehicle.

2. In a motorvehicle, a motor, a driven road-wheel, intermediatetransmission mechanism and a clutch between said transmission mechanismand the motor, means under the control of the occupant to apply anddisconnect the clutch to propel the vehicle, and automatic means torelease said clutch, a brake for said vehicle, and means for applyingsaid brake simultaneously with the automatic release of the clutch.

3. In a motor-vehicle, a motor of the type adapted to operateirrespective of variations in speed or stopping of the vehicle, a drivenroad-wheel, clutch connections to make or interrupt transmission ofpower from the engine, automatic means to release the connections, meansunder the control of the occupant to eifect connectionsbetween the motorand the driven wheel, a brake for retarding the vehicle and automaticmeans for applying the brake.

4:. In a motor-vehicle, a driving-motor and a driven road-wheel,intermediate transmission mechanism and a clutch to operatively connectordiscounect the power-transmission system, a single operatingconnection for said clutch and a plurality of means for actuating saidconnections, including an automatic means.

5. In a motor-vehicle, a driving-motor and a driven road-wheel,intermediate transmission mechanism and a clutch to operativelyconnector disconnect the power-transmission system, asingle operatingconnection for said clutch, a plurality of means for actuating saidconnections including an automatic means, a brake and means operatingwith said automatic connections to apply the brake upon the release ofthe clutch.

6. In a motor-vehicle, an engine adapted to rotate upon the stopping ofthe vehicle, a frictionclutch for disconnecting said engine from thepower-transmission mechanism, a brake for retarding the vehicle, anautomatic means for releasing said vehicle-clutch and applying thebrake, said means including a spring-actuated seat adapted to bereleased upon removing the weight of the occupant.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ANDREW L. BIKER.

Witnesses:

O. A. L. MAssIE, WILLIAM E. HILLS.

